103 Sovereign Beas (1/2)

Xue Wei looked at Hei Gou for some time, completely stunned by his words before he started laughing out loud. It was as if a knot in his chest had loosened itself. The world, which had seemed colorless since his escape and Tie Haolong's death, suddenly seemed vibrant once more.

”You will follow me, right?” Xue Wei asked once more to be completely certain, to which Hei Gou nodded his head. His playful eyes turned solemn, and his lips, which had been curled into a smile all along, straightened out.

”We might not even make it out of this forest alive. When I first saw you, I felt as if death had come for me. But instead of death, it was new hope. It was someone willing to put himself at risk for my sake. I have never before experienced anyone showing me kindness before, and thus I am actually rather unsure of how to repay you.”

Hei Gou was slightly flustered, smiling with embarrassment. ”Since my life is pretty much forfeit already, why don't I just put it in your hands? I have done some things that the Primordial Beasts are unhappy with, and I am being chased. The humans will want to kill me too. In this dark world, I never expected to meet a kindred spirit who would give me a ray of hope in surviving for just a little longer.”

”I own nothing, and I have no way of repaying you other than giving myself to you.” Hei Gou looked at Xue Wei, who once more felt goosebumps all over his body when he heard the words. The black dog snickered in amusement.

”Don't worry, I might be as handsome as a god but I am not into men either!”

Hearing this, Xue Wei felt a bit better, but he also understood Hei Gou's emotions.

Hei Gou had mentioned that he was being chased. He was desperate. He was alone against the world, against the beasts and the humans. Was this not the exact same situation that Xue Wei was currently facing?

Thinking like this, Xue Wei felt much better. He had found someone who was in the same position as himself. Someone as desperate to live, and to find a place where he belonged as himself.

”I will follow you around to repay the kindness you showed me,” Hei Gou said solemnly. His eyes were glistening. At the same time, Xue Wei also saw a pitiful expression in the black dog's eyes. An expression of fear. Fear of being abandoned once more.

Xue Wei could see the determination within those solemn black eyes of Hei Gou, and he did not question the dog further and nodded his head.

”In return, I will promise to treat you like my brother. You are my martial brother, my friend. We will tour the world together. We will reach the apex! There is nothing that can stop us as long as we have each other's back, and there is no one who will not tremble when hearing our names.”

”We will save who we wish to save, kill who we wish to kill, and condemn any who stands in our way.”

Xue Wei was also very serious as he swore this. Hei Gou felt a shiver run down his spine. He could already imagine how terrifying they would become - they would be the true terror of the entire world. A duo that no one would dare to provoke.

”Following a man like you is not so bad. Not bad at all!” Hei Gou said in high praise. ”We will condemn all that stands in our way, huh?”

”Yes,” Xue Wei's eyes were blazing with a determination that the black dog had never seen before. ”We will condemn beasts and humans alike. We will condemn fate and karma. We will even condemn the heavens, should they wish to strike us down! Nothing can get in our way of reaching the apex!”

”Right you are!”

”Let us become blood brothers!” Xue Wei suddenly said. ”That way, we will forever be loyal to one another.”

”Sure!” Hei Gou agreed easily and cut his arm so that fresh blood started spraying from the wound he had made.

Xue Wei was not late in returning the gesture, and soon a cut similar in size appeared on his arm. The two, man and dog, pressed their arms against one another, and their blood started mixing.

It made them feel invigorated. They felt their bodies boiling with the urge to prove their worth, and all the wounds on Hei Gou's body started to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Both Xue Wei and Hei Gou stared at the wounds. Hei Gou could feel how his snow-pale skin started to turn red as if he was flustered, and then the wounds started closing.

”What's happening?” Xue Wei asked in alarm as Hei Gou's face turned beet red. He was gasping for air; his eyes turned from black to red; and his entire body started trembling.

Energy ripples started emanating out from within his body, as if he had so much energy that he could not contain it.

The snow around him melted, the barren land sprouted green grass underneath him, and everything happened within moments of the two pressing their arms together and sharing their blood to become proper blood brothers.

By now, the two had moved far away from the original location where Hei Gou had been wounded. Few people frequented this area, so they were relatively safe from others interrupting them. Xue Wei's brows were furrowed as he watched Hei Gou. His eyes were narrowed and he did all in his power to assist Hei Gou.

He placed him on the ground, made sure that he was laying on his back, and then touched Hei Gou's forehead, only to feel a burning sensation as if he had touched hot charcoal.

”Can you hear me?” Xue Wei asked anxiously, but there was no reply. Hei Gou was panting heavily. He had closed his eyes, and by now all wounds on his body had vanished.

Still, the ripples of energy that were expanding from within his body were getting increasingly strong.

Xue Wei was at a loss for what to do. He found a stream close by and placed cold towels on Hei Gou's forehead to lessen the heat at least a tiny bit.

Like this two days passed by. In these two days, neither humans nor beasts arrived in the small location where Xue Wei and Hei Gou were located.

Xue Wei continued to wipe down Hei Gou's body so that all the sweat did not make him sick, and he also checked his condition from time to time.

The first day, the ripples of energy continued to increase until they peaked at the first night, and since then they had diminished until now where they were gone.

Still, Hei Gou had not awakened. His eyes had not opened, and his breathing was still rapid.